There are ongoing efforts to improve the quality of motion picture presentations. With the transition to digital projection equipment, new opportunities arise to address visual quality problems in ways that were impossible or otherwise difficult to apply to film projection equipment. For example, attributes of each image pixel can be manipulated to compensate for shortcomings in the projection system.
Displayed image quality can be described in many different ways. For example the image quality in a two-dimensional (2D) presentation can be described in terms of image brightness uniformity, the amount of image ghosting, color balance, or when showing a three-dimensional (3D) presentation there are additional quality aspects to consider such as the balance of brightness, brightness distribution or color between left and right eye image. Image quality variations within one display image can be referred to as intra-projector image quality variations, and image quality problems between two images, such as left and right eye image in 3D presentations, can be referred to as inter-projector image quality variations. In 3D presentations, it may be possible that inter-projector image quality degradation can lead to viewing discomfort by a patron viewing the presentation. Changes in image quality can occur over time and some image quality changes can require more frequent correction. There can be numerous factors that can cause the image quality to degrade. Some factors can occur within the projection or display equipment and some factors may be external to the projector or display that can influence the displayed image. Examples of factors within the projection or display equipment can include light source degradation, light reflections within optics, differences in characteristics between projectors in a dual projection system. Examples of factors outside of the projection equipment that can affect image quality can include light from the display or screen that is reflected back by the audience or other theatre surfaces, or stray light in the theatre from floor lighting or exit lights.
To ensure a consistent image quality that matches the intended image quality to be displayed over time and from theatre to theatre and does not degrade, a solution is desirable that is practical to implement and can be automated to compensate for a variety of quality problems in displayed images when they occur.
Disclosed below is a system and method that is able to address the above mentioned problems.